Building a Fraud Profile with Device ID+ (Part 1: Set Up & Demo)

Summary

This video introduces the **Device ID Plus** service, a JavaScript tool designed to combat web application fraud by creating tamper-proof device identifiers. Unlike traditional identifiers, **Device ID Plus** persists even when users clear cookies or use incognito mode. It combines two identifiers—the **Device ID residue** and the **Device ID attribute**—which help build a fraud profile to distinguish legitimate users from malicious ones. Through a live demo, the video shows how this service improves fraud detection by tracking behavior, even in challenging conditions like incognito browsing. It’s a powerful tool for enhancing security in web applications.

Takeaways

• 😀 Device ID Plus is a JavaScript tag used to create unique, tamper-proof device identifiers for tracking users across web applications.
• 😀 Traditional device identifiers, like cookies, are vulnerable to clearing, incognito mode, and ad blockers, making them less reliable for tracking and fraud prevention.
• 😀 Device ID Plus overcomes the limitations of traditional methods by leveraging browser signals to generate a consistent identifier, even when cookies are cleared or incognito mode is used.
• 😀 The system collects non-PII (Personally Identifiable Information) signals to create device identifiers, ensuring privacy and security while maintaining accuracy.
• 😀 The Device ID Plus service has been developed and refined over the past 6-7 years by a company called Shape, now offering it for free.
• 😀 Device ID Plus can be used across various web application areas, including login forms, contact us forms, and any area susceptible to fraud or malicious behavior.
• 😀 A fraud profile is built by combining two types of device identifiers: Device ID Residue and Device ID Attribute, which can be tracked across multiple sessions.
• 😀 The fraud profile includes valuable information like recaptcha scores, device ID values, timestamps, and user behavior, helping to identify malicious users.
• 😀 In the demo, the speaker shows how the system works by simulating a user session in incognito mode, where the device ID remains the same, despite the user's attempt to hide their activity.
• 😀 Even if a user clears their cookies or uses incognito mode, Device ID Plus ensures that the same identifier is assigned, which helps track the user more reliably.
• 😀 The system is especially useful in preventing fraud by differentiating between legitimate users and attackers who use methods like clearing cookies or using ad blockers to disguise their behavior.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the Device ID Plus service?

The Device ID Plus service aims to provide a unique, tamper-proof identifier for users, which helps combat web application fraud and abuse by tracking users across sessions even if they clear cookies or use incognito mode.

How does Device ID Plus differ from traditional device identifiers?

Traditional device identifiers rely on cookies, which can be cleared by users, making them unreliable. Device ID Plus uses a tamper-proof mechanism that leverages browser signals and APIs, ensuring consistent tracking even when users clear cookies or use incognito mode.

What are the two types of identifiers generated by Device ID Plus?

Device ID Plus generates two identifiers: the Device ID Residue Value, which is stored in a cookie and changes if cookies are cleared, and the Device ID Attribute Value, which remains consistent across sessions by using browser signals and APIs.

What problem does Device ID Plus solve that traditional device identifiers cannot?

Device ID Plus addresses the problem of user tracking inconsistency caused by cookie clearing, ad blockers, or incognito mode, providing a reliable way to track users across sessions despite these disruptions.

How does the demo application help illustrate the functionality of Device ID Plus?

The demo application simulates a login process using reCAPTCHA and shows how Device ID Plus can track users across sessions even when incognito mode is used, providing insights into fraud detection and scoring systems.

What is the role of reCAPTCHA in the demo application?

reCAPTCHA in the demo application serves as a scoring system to differentiate between legitimate users and potential bots or malicious actors, highlighting how the Device ID Plus identifiers can provide additional context to this system.

How does the Device ID Plus service handle users in incognito mode?

When users enter incognito mode, Device ID Plus still generates the same device ID attribute value, ensuring that the identifier remains consistent, which helps in accurately tracking and analyzing user behavior despite session changes.

Why is it important to track users accurately in the context of web application security?

Accurate user tracking is essential for identifying fraudulent behavior, managing legitimate users, and preventing malicious actions like account takeovers or input of harmful data in forms, ultimately enhancing overall web application security.

What does the fraud profile created by Device ID Plus include?

The fraud profile includes the device ID residue value, the device ID attribute value, reCAPTCHA score, and the timestamp of the transaction, allowing for detailed analysis of user behavior to detect fraudulent activity.

What are the next steps after setting up the demo application with Device ID Plus?

After setting up the demo application, the next steps involve analyzing the collected data, understanding the fraud profile, and utilizing the device identifiers to create advanced fraud analytics to better manage web traffic and user behavior.